


The Truth of Republic City

by 15bbird



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ba Sing Se, Bending (Avatar), Earthbending & Earthbenders, Equalists - Freeform, Firebending & Firebenders, Gembender, Gembending, Republic City, Swamp bending, Swampbender, The equalists - Freeform, Waterbending & Waterbenders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7483104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/15bbird/pseuds/15bbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sick mother, a judgmental homelife, and a debt to be paid. These are the things that bring Kaumi, Hiresh, and Kajini together. They learn how to deal with their sorrows and greifs, and become stronger than they already are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Truth of Republic City

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this Fic, please make sure to read the end notes.

**The Tale of Kaumi**

 

The Foggy Swamp Tribes of the earth kingdom hadn’t changed much after the hundred year war. The biggest change was that they started contacting the outside world again. Many professors and researchers had came to study the swamp benders and their way of life. Most of these researchers knew that this life couldn’t suit them, and some went home knowing less than when they had arrived. There there had been a few who ended up having the time of their life, and when it was time to return home, they left with great reluctance. 

 

There was a young waterbender by the name of Kaumi. She was a stunning girl, with long black hair, pale skin and beautiful blue eyes. She wore wraps over her chest and a long green skirt, like most of the women in the Foggy Swamp Tribe. She also donned a  green leafy hat, which was something most of the men wore rather than the women. 

 

She was only seventeen, but it was safe to say she was a master waterbender, at least by her tribe's standards. She was able to expertly move the water, and manipulate the plants around her. She trained everyday, and continued to learn all that she could. She wanted to learn everything. After practice she would return home too her mother, who also knew how to waterbend but was less interested in the art. 

 

Today however was different, after the young master returned to her hut she found her mother sprawled on the ground. The woman, who Kaumi was the spitting image of, was holding her knees to her chest and coughing horrendously. Blood was coming out of her mouth, and the older woman was crying over how much pain she was in. 

 

Kaumi, despite being a master, could not get the handle on healing others. Healing just wasn’t one of the skills she was able to possess. So instead of taking this as an opportunity to test to see if she did have these powers, she did the smart thing and called for some actual healers. 

 

After transporting Kaumi’s mother to the infirmary hut, many healers surrounded the mother and worked their powers on her. They were able to stop the coughing and were able to stop the blood, but the sickness wouldn’t go away. The mother was shaking and felt ice cold. The healers could keep her alive, but they did not know for how long. 

 

Kaumi was crying, and holding onto her mother’s hand, trying to find a solution.There wasn’t one. Or at least her tribe didn’t have a solution. They might of had contact with the outside world but it was very limited contact. 

 

Kaumi’s mother gently ran her thumb over her daughter’s hand. She was trying to comfort her daughter as best as she could. Softly she said, “Your father… he would of been an even bigger mess than you are if he saw me like this.”

Kaumi’s nose wrinkled. She had never met her father, and didn’t care too meet him either. The man left before she was born, and never cared to return. Kaumi believed that he had just used her mother to get what he wanted out of the swamp people. Kaumi’s mother believed he couldn’t return. She believed that he wasn’t allowed to return. The man Kaumi’s mother fell in love with was smart, and she believed that the world needed him more than she did. Kaumi just wanted him to suffer the same pain he put her mother through. 

 

Kaumi’s mother continued speaking, “Your father would send me letters… I haven’t seen a letter in several months, but the last letter he sent told me about his research. He was studying flowers and the medicinal effect they could have… His research combined with the healers, they could save me.” She then gripped her daughter’s wrist, and stared at her. Very urgently she said, “Don’t let me die. I need to be there for you and our tribe.”

 

Kaumi yanked her arm away from her mother’s grip before saying, “I… okay.” she understood what her mother wanted, “I will find him.”

 

A healer came in and said, “Kaumi… you should let Mizuki rest….”

 

Kaumi wiped her eyes and said, “Yes, Hian. Your right. I need to speak to you in private.” She then pulled the man out of the hut, and away from her mother. 

 

The healer looked a bit confused but said, “What is it Kaumi?” His eyebrows were knitted and his eyes were sad. He was barely holding it together as it was. 

 

Kaumi sighed, “You were around when my mother met my father, right?”

 

“Yes…. but I was just a boy when he came to our tribe.” The healer stated.

 

“Do you know his name… and where he might be?”

 

Hian rubbed the back of his head, “His name was Kahi, and he worked at The Republic City university. There is no guarantee that he is still there…”

 

Kaumi shook her head, “That’s a good a place as any to start looking.” She went and started packing up her things for the journey. 

 

**The Tale of Hiresh**

 

Hiresh had lived in Ba Sing Se his entire life. The Patel family had lived there and prospered for generations upon generations. They became the third wealthiest family in Ba Sing Se, and were very high up in the government. The Father of the Patel family was offered a job as the earth councilman in Republic City. They decided that since their family had practically conquered Ba sing Se, that they should try their hand at Republic city. 

 

Hiresh’s family was large, besides his mother and father, He had an older brother, two younger sisters and a little brother. The Patel family had always been non-benders for as long as they could remember. In fact, there family had very little interaction with benders as it was, which Hiresh had never fully understood. Their family just seemed to do whatever they could to avoid the benders as much as possible. Which was a shame, since Hiresh had a large fascination with bending. He wanted to study it.

 

Hiresh’s mother, Anju, came up to the boy the day they were packing. She was a very stern woman, and Hiresh never knew how to talk to her. Everytime he tried she would get this disappointed look on her face. Today she had her normal dull expression on as she demanded, “Hiresh. You are too go into our vault and retrieve our gemstones. I need them all.”

 

Hiresh didn’t speak, he didn’t want to see that look on her face again. He only bowed and entered there vault. Their vault held their most beloved family heirlooms. There were many things in there, but Hiresh headed straight for the jewels. He picked one up and examined it. “Why do we even have these?”

 

He picked all of them up and started for the door. Hiresh was a small boy for his age. He also was a bit of a clutz. Hiresh had a problem with tripping over his own feet. That was what happened next. Hiresh tripped in his rush to get these gems too his mother.   The boy fell straight onto his face, the gems rolling away from him. 

 

Hiresh quietly said, “Ow,” and blinked several times before realizing that something was wrong. All of the other gems were perfectly fine… except for the teardrop shaped lapis lazuli. It had shattered apart when it hit the ground. Hiresh became frantic then, crying out, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Mom’s going to kill me.” He was a hundred percent certain she actually would. 

 

Hiresh became desperate and tried to smush them back together. It almost seemed like a fruitless task. Then out of anger and frustration, Hiresh ended up pushing them together with all his might. When he uncovered his hands, what he saw shocked him. 

 

The gem was now melded back together. That should of been impossible, and Hiresh didn’t fully understand how this had happened.

 

“You’re an earthbender.” came a familiar voice. 

 

Hiresh looked up and saw his older brother Gopen standing by the vault doorway. Hiresh admired his older brother. Gopen always seemed so confident and smart. Hiresh wanted to be like him.

 

Gopen walked forward and crouched in front of Hiresh. “Whatever you do Hiresh. Do not tell our parents that you can earthbend. Don’t even let our siblings know you can earthbend. Find a trainer if you must, but keep it a secret.” Gopen then stood up and began walking to the door. 

 

Hiresh stared at him suddenly, gathering up the gems and running after him. “Wait, Gopen! Why are you saying this?”

 

Gopen huffed, “If I told you why, you might end up going along with our parents instead. Better for you not to know. This way you’ll have a chance to explore your earthbending.” He ruffled Hiresh hair, before heading to his father.

 

Hiresh was left confused and scared.

 

**The Tale of Kajini**

 

With the Equalists slowly gaining power, there really wasn’t any place safe for Kajini and his family. They could only practice there bending in private, and they couldn’t afford a master to train them either. At least Kajini had his father, who wasn’t a firebending master but could teach his son what he knows. Kajini did feel bad though. His little sister was a waterbender but their mother was a non-bender. Kajini hoped that he could find a master for his sister one day.

 

Kajini was a tall, and dark skinned boy. His hair was half shaved, and he had a tattoo of the fire and water symbols on his left arm. His father hadn’t been happy with him when Kajini showed it to him. 

 

At the moment, Kajini was with his father and little sister, practicing his firebending in there safe spot. Their so called “safe spot” was essentially just a back alley that no other citizens came too.   

 

Ryuu, Kajini’s father, was sitting cross legged, and holding his daughter, Reiyuki. Ryuu drank a bit of tea before putting his cup down, “Good, Kajini. You’re doing excellently well. Now I want to see you do your fire sweeps one more time.”

 

Kajini felt a bit annoyed, only because he was pretty sure this was the tenth time he was told to do his fire sweeps. He was pretty sure he had it down by now. He spread his feet apart, and took in a few deep breaths. He then quickly crouched down, sweeping his right leg, around himself. Fire was sweeped around.

He then bowed to his father and said, “My training his over for the day, Father. May I now go and see Scarlet?”

 

His father seemed unsure. He was wary about this Scarlet girl as it was. Still, his son was a man,not a child so he said, “Yes. Kajini. I will remain here and try to teach your sister how to waterbend…”

 

Kajini frowned a bit. He was happy that his father was trying to teach his little sister, but the fact of the matter was, Ryuu was a firebender and not a waterbender. There was only so much he could try and teach Reiuiki. 

 

Kajini said goodbye to his father and sister and ran  out of the alleyway. He didn’t get very far before he was grabbed and pushed against the wall. 

 

A tall and muscluer earthbender by the name of Chang had been the one to push him there. Kajini wrinkled his nose when he saw the smirk on Chang’s face. The man said in a gruff voice, “Hey there little Firefly. Remember me?”

 

Kajini huffed, “What do you want, Chang? Does On need something from me?” 

 

Chang earthbent a rock, and had it floating just above Kajini’s head. “On wants his money back, and he wants it soon. You and your family are way pass his deadline.”

 

Kajini looked down, momentarily. He wasn’t afraid of the boulder smashing him. “We’re working on. We just need a little more time…”

 

Chang leaned in close, “Tell you want. On really is a patient man. You have one month to give him the money he needs. If you don’t pay by then though…” Chang let the rock smash into the ground. “You and your family are going to find out what an avalanche feels like.” and then Chang let go of Kajini and went away.

 

Kajini was now angry, but he tried to push that aside for now. He would get On’s money. He didn’t know how, but he would find a way. For now he went to find Scarlet. 

**Author's Note:**

> Now the first thing you should all know is that the next chapters will probably not come for quite a few weeks. I wanted to get the prologue out now too try and test the waters. I wanted to see how people like it, or if they like it all for that matter. Depending on the feedback i get will basically determine if i will continue writing this or not. 
> 
> I also wanted to know what you guys think of the characters so far, and what i can approve on. 
> 
> Although I know what the end game for this fic will be, I would like to know what ideas you guys might have for chapters, mainly cause I want to try and set it up like a episode of Avatar or Legend of Korra.


End file.
